Chapter 6 - The Copy He Wouldn't Give
Principal Ward moved first.
She crossed the classroom and opened the supply-room door.
Logan Vale stood inside.
The ten-year-old boy looked miserable. His blond hair was flattened on one side, and his backpack straps were twisted around his hands.
“Mom told me to wait,” he said.
Mrs. Vale rushed toward him. “Logan, you don’t need to say anything.”
Daniel stepped between them without touching her.
“He’s a child. Stop coaching him.”
“You have no right—”
“I have every right to protect my son from an adult who just hit him.”
Principal Ward raised her voice. “Enough.”
The room went quiet.
Helen crouched beside Logan. “Why were you in there?”
Logan looked at his mother.
She gave him a warning stare.
He looked down.
“I was waiting.”
“For what?”
His fingers tightened around the straps.
“For Ethan to say sorry.”
Ethan stared at him. “You wanted me to apologize?”
Logan’s eyes filled. “Mom said if you wrote it down, nobody could blame me for the test.”
Mrs. Vale stepped forward. “He’s confused.”
“No, I’m not!” Logan shouted.
The force of it shocked everyone.
He looked at Ethan. “I asked for answers. He said no. Then I told Mom.”
Mrs. Vale whispered, “Logan.”
He backed away from her.
“You said I could get kicked off the advanced program if they found out.”
Principal Ward went rigid.
Daniel asked, “What did your mother tell you to do?”
Logan wiped his face with his sleeve. “She said she’d fix it.”
Ethan’s expression changed from fear to hurt.
“You got me kept after school because I wouldn’t help you cheat?”
“I’m sorry.”
The apology sounded real.
Mrs. Vale reached for Logan’s arm.
He pulled away.
“I said enough,” Principal Ward snapped.
Then she turned toward Daniel.
“We need to move both boys to the counselor’s office and contact their guardians.”
Daniel nodded, but Ethan did not move.
He was staring at the teacher’s desk.
“Dad?”
“What?”
Ethan pointed to a half-open drawer.
May you like
“There are other apology letters in there.”
Mrs. Vale lunged for the drawer before anyone else could reach it.
